Good evening! Thank you very much for joining
Sports Mole for tonight's
Champions League semi-final second leg between Juventus and AS Monaco in Turin! One of these teams are just one game away from the biggest match in club football, and let's be honest it looks like it will be Juve. Tonight's hosts hold a 2-0 advantage following their impressive victory in Monaco last week and it would take an unprecedented comeback for the Ligue 1 leaders to stop them reaching the final. There are goals in this Monaco team, though, so never say never. Before we dig a little deeper into the tale of the tape, let's check out the team news...
JUVENTUS STARTING XI: Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini; Alves, Pjanić, Khedira, Sandro; Dybala, Mandžukić; Higuain
MONACO STARTING XI: Subasic; Raggi, Jemerson, Glik, Sidibe; Dirar, Moutinho, Bakayoko, Bernardo Silva; Falcao, Mbappe
There are some huge names in both lineups, but let's start with the home side and the one change that they have made to their starting XI from last week's first leg as Sami Khedira returns from suspension to replace Marchisio, as expected. Allegri has once again gone for three at the back, as he also did in the first leg, and that is no surprise either considering how well it worked. That should allow
Dani Alves, who helped himself to two exquisite assists in the first leg, bomb forward down that right flank.
Allegri was able to rest a whole host of players for Saturday's derby against Torino, and the likes of Buffon, Barzagli, Chiellini, Alves, Pjanic, Sandro and Higuain all return to the side tonight as the hosts make seven changes from that 1-1 draw against their city rivals. There was some concern over the fitness of Dybala after he limped off during the derby, but it was only cramp and the striker - who was brilliant in the first leg - is fit to start again this evening.
Juve's main goal threat is likely to come from Gonzalo Higuain, who answered a lot of questions with his two-goal showing in the first leg. It took a lot of money to prise him away from Napoli, but he has repaid Juventus with 32 goals across all competitions this season - the first player to do that for the club since David Trezeguet in 2002. Higuain is also only five goals short of the all-time single-season goalscoring record for Juve, and with potentially six games left of the season, he could well threaten that.
The Argentine scored as many goals in the first leg of this tie as he had in his previous 24 Champions League knockout games combined and, while he will need to keep up a much better rate if he is to really catapult himself among the very best strikers in world football, it was certainly a big performance from him on a big stage. It is that defensive trio of Barzagli, Bonucci and Chiellini that arguably came out of the match with even greater credit, though, and they will again be looking to keep Monaco at bay tonight alongside Buffon, who makes his 150th European appearance.
They may have managed it in the first leg, but keeping this Monaco attack quiet is no mean feat. Radamel Falcao looks back to his best following a miserable spell in England, but the real star of the season for Monaco has been
Kylian Mbappe. The 18-year-old is arguably the hottest property in football right now and there is likely to be a huge bidding war for his services this summer. He didn't get on the scoresheet last week, but his movement created Monaco's best chances and he has a stunning record of 18 goals in his last 20 outings for the club while still in his teen years.
There are goals throughout this Monaco team, though, and Mbappe certainly isn't the only player who has caught the attention of some of Europe's biggest clubs with their performances this season. Bernardo Silva, who scored in a 3-0 win over Nancy at the weekend to end a bit of a goal drought, has been linked with a move away, while Tiemoue Bakayoko has been strongly linked with a switch to the Premier League. Bakayoko was a minor doubt for tonight's game having recently suffered a broken nose in training, but he wore a mask in the first leg and is expected to do the same again tonight.
Leonardo Jardim has made two changes from the side that started the first leg, with Raggi coming in for Lemar and the experienced Moutinho replacing Fabinho in the starting XI. Monaco were arguably missing an older head in the middle of the park in the first leg, with Pjanic and Marchisio helping to run the show, and Moutinho's introduction off the bench certainly changed things so he will be hopeful of having a similar impact from the start tonight.
Lemar's absence, meanwhile, is expected to see Dirar push further up the field in order to cater for Raggi at right-back, while Bernardo Silva will also switch from the right flank to the left. Jemerson and Glik will be charged with keeping Juventus's attack at bay - which is almost as important as getting the goals they need tonight as one home strike would make things even more difficult - while Subasic continues in between the sticks.
It is a Monaco side that has proven itself to be free-scoring and deadly this season, but they ran into a brick wall in Juventus and the hosts are overwhelming favourites to progress through to a ninth Champions League final and second in the space of three years now. Even without the historical context of the size of Monaco's task tonight, this Juventus side simply do not look like conceding two goals in a game - particularly at home. If they can keep clean sheets in both legs against Barcelona's attack then they will be confident of doing what they need to tonight.
It's hard to know where to begin when talking about how formidable a team Juventus have been both this season and stretching even further back. Their domestic dominance is beyond question, with the Old Lady now just one win away from a record sixth consecutive title. They had the chance to effectively wrap up the title at the weekend, but their 1-1 draw with Torino means that they must now wait until at least Sunday, when they face second-place Roma at the Stadio Olimpico. Victory in that match and they will have the title in the bag once again.
Juve are still on course to be just the second Italian team to ever win the treble, after Inter Milan in 2010. They have once again reached the Coppa Italia final, where they will face Lazio later this month, while also enjoying that privileged league position and having the upper hand in this Champions League semi-final. It was an achievement they were close to pulling off two years ago, only to be beaten by Barcelona in the final of this competition, but now they look in an even stronger position to complete what would be the greatest season in their illustrious history.
Juve come into this match unbeaten in their last eight games across all competitions and with just one defeat in their last 24, and that solitary loss proved to be a meaningless one as they still progressed through on aggregate from their Coppa Italia semi-final with Napoli. They have kept no fewer than 15 clean sheets in those last 24 outings too, and in the Champions League they have kept six clean sheets in a row - with their current shutout streak of 621 minutes being the fifth-best in Champions League history.
Juve are one of only two teams still unbeaten in this season's competition, alongside Real Madrid, and it looks like that will be a fitting final in Cardiff should both teams progress, as is expected. It is Juventus's defensive record which is perhaps the most impressive aspect of their 11-game unbeaten run, though, as they have not even conceded a goal in open play throughout this season's tournament, with both goals coming from dead-ball situations. You have to go back to November for the last of those too, so whichever Madrid club may face them in the final, they will have trouble breaking them down.
Most clubs would struggle to come up with a more impressive statistic than that one, but every aspect of Juve's form heading into this one makes them look impenetrable. Their home form is staggeringly good, with the last team to beat them on home soil being Udinese way back in August 2015. In the 50 matches since then they have won 43 and drawn just seven, including 17 wins in a row prior to Saturday's 1-1 draw with Torino. That derby stalemate also ended an incredible run of 33 consecutive Serie A home victories for the Old Lady.
Juventus have not been beaten at home in European competition for more than four years, since Bayern Munich came away with a 2-0 victory in April 2013, winning 13 and drawing nine of their 22 outings since them. That includes a club-record streak of 18 consecutive home Champions League games without defeat, while they are currently on a three-game winning run here in this competition. Of the five Champions League games they have played in front of their own fans this season Juve have kept clean sheets in four and conceded just one goal.
It is a daunting task for Monaco, then, particularly when you consider that Juventus have also won all 37 of their European ties in which they have won the first leg away from home. The experience of the two clubs at this level also leans heavily in Juventus's favour, but the youthful exuberance of Monaco could give them a glimmer of hope tonight. These players don't look like they are overawed by such occasions and, with such a free-scoring attack playing with nothing to lose, that could be very dangerous.
Not even Barcelona, who are the only team to have scored more than Monaco's 98 domestic goals in Europe's top five leagues, could breach this Juventus defence, but Monaco have scored three of more goals in 27 difference matches this season. That includes each of their Champions League knockout games before the first leg of this tie - becoming the first team in the competition's history to score three or more goals in four consecutive knockout matches.
Monaco also come into this match on a seven-game winning streak away from home across all competitions - not counting the Coupe de France final which took place against PSG on PSG's ground, although it was technically counted as a neutral venue. Monaco have scored two or more goals in seven of their last nine away games too, and 16 times over the entire season, although on only seven of those occasions did they win by a scoreline which would see them progress tonight.
Unlike Juventus, who are unbeaten in this season's competition, Monaco have already lost four Champions League games this season having begun their campaign way back in July in the third qualifying round. They have won nine of their 15 European outings this term, though, beating the likes of Tottenham, Manchester City and Borussia Dortmund along the way, while they are also now safe in the knowledge that they will be going straight into the Champions League at the group stage next season following this weekend's result in Ligue 1.
Even if Monaco do crash out of the Champions League tonight, as is expected, it is still on course to be a truly memorable season for the club. Granted, it could have been even better as just over a month ago they were on course for the quadruple, while now they look like being 90 minutes away from having only one trophy left to fight for. However, they do look destined to win their first league title since 2000 this season, with just four points needed from their final three games to end PSG domestic trophy dominance.
PSG have so far continued that this season with victories over Monaco in the latter stages of both cup competitions, although it should be noted that
Leonardo Jardim effectively sacrificed the semi-final of the Coupe de France by naming a weakened side which was subsequently dispatched 5-0. Those two defeats to PSG, plus their first-leg loss to Juventus in this tie, are the only three matches which Monaco have failed to win in their past 17 outings across all competitions, with eight victories in their last 10 too.
Monaco's away record in the Champions League may be the biggest concern tonight, particularly when measured up against Juve's home record. Tonight's visitors have only won one of their last four away games in this competition - that coming against Dortmund in the last round in a match overshadowed by the attack on the Dortmund bus a day before - while they have not kept an away Champions League clean sheet since November 2014 - 11 matches ago. They have also only won two of their previous 11 away games in the Champions League knockout rounds, never keeping a clean sheet, and have failed to win any of their three previous away legs in semi-finals.
PREDICTION: Right, we're 10 minutes away from kickoff in Turin, which means that it is time for a prediction! With Monaco's attacking qualities there is always a chance that they can pull something off, but for that to happen Juventus would need a rare off-day at the back. The Old Lady's home record is simply too formidable for me to predict anything other than a win and a fairly comfortable progression into the final - I'm going for 2-0 to Juve!
These two sides have met once before in the semi-finals of the Champions League, with Juventus helped on their way to a 6-4 aggregate success in 1998 by Alessandro del Piero's hat-trick in the home first leg, with Zidane adding a fourth in a 4-1 win. More recently they faced off in the quarter-finals of this competition two years ago, and on that occasion it was a solitary Vidal penalty here in Turin that decided the tie as Juve progressed all the way to the final.
If everything I've said so far isn't enough to dissuade Monaco fans that they have a chance tonight, they perhaps the historical element may do the job - Juventus have won all 11 of their previous two-legged ties against French opposition and have beaten a Ligue 1 side in the final of this competition on both occasions that they have gone on to lift the trophy. They have also never lost a home game against a French team, winning 10 of their 13 outings including four separate European semi-finals.
In contrast, Monaco have lost four previous European semi-finals to Italian opposition and are winless in their previous seven trips to the country, losing six of those. What's more, Monaco have scored just two goals (14 conceded) in that time, which is a feat they need to achieve in just 90 minutes if they are to stand any chance of going through tonight. They have only won one of their six previous two-legged ties against Serie A side, while they have lost all five European ties in which they have been beaten in the first leg at home.
...it could still be fun, though. Hey Monaco fans?
Right, the players are on their way out on a sunny evening in Turin, and the flags are waving all around the Juventus Stadium. What an occasion this promises to be!
Juventus fans are risking getting ahead of themselves just a little bit, though. They hold up a display which spells out 'Time for Cardiff' during the anthem - you're not quite there yet, folks!
Just before we start there is news of a change to the Monaco lineup - Benjamin Mendy has come in for Dirar, who was injured in the warm-up. Mendy himself has struggled with a hamstring injury of late and wasn't deemed fit to start.
KICKOFF: Here we go, then! Monaco get us underway for the second leg of this Champions League semi-final!
It has been a bright start from Monaco here as they go in search of an early goal to give them some hope. The visitors don't have much choice, I suppose!
Monaco will be pleased with the start they have made to this match, to the extent where it doesn't look like such an impossible task right now. Monaco just need an early goal...
The visitors very nearly get that early goal as a deflected Moutinho strike falls into the path of Mbappe, who nudges it past Buffon and sees it roll agonisingly against the inside of the post. It would not have counted, though, as the flag was up against Mbappe.
SHOT! It may take something special to breach this Juventus defence and Falcao looks to provide it with a long-range drive from wide out right, but it flies a few yards over and Buffon looked to have it covered.
This is a worry for Juventus already as Khedira goes down with what looks like a hamstring injury. It doesn't look like he will be able to continue here.
JUVENTUS SUB: Sure enough there is the change as Claudio Marchisio comes on in place of Khedira. Not a bad sub to be able to bring on!
This opening 12 minutes has not gone exactly how Juventus would have liked. They have not been able to get going so far and Monaco have been the better team. Coupled with that injury to Khedira and things have been a lot less comfortable for the Italian outfit so far tonight than they were in the first leg.
Juve are beginning to settle and see more of the ball now, but they are still struggling to get out of their own half. They have had very little possession in Monaco territory so far.
SHOT! Juve do get forward here, this time with a long ball forward. Mandzukic knocks it down into a good area, but Dybala gets his shot all wrong and skews a tame effort off target when he should have done better.
There is no onus on Juventus to attack, of course, and they would be quite happy with a repeat of the second leg against Barcelona when they allowed the opposition to have most of the possession but still came away with a 0-0 draw. On the other hand, though, one goal would really kill this one off once and for all.
Monaco come forward again, with Mbappe playing the ball out to Mendy on the left. The late inclusion whips a good ball into the box which worries Buffon enough to come out for it, but Chiellini is there to put a towering header behind.
This time Juve come forward and Higuain finds himself in a decent position down the right channel, but his pass is behind Dybala and that effectively sees the attack break down. Monaco try to break quickly, but Bernardo Silva's pass is too close to the defender.
CHANCE! Big chance for Higuain to kill this tie off! He was deadly in the first leg but this is poor from the striker as he tries to dink a finish past Subasic. It does beat the keeper, but it doesn't have enough on it and Glik is able to hook it away.
That should be a warning for Monaco of just how perilous their position is in this tie. The first goal is going to be so important - if Juventus get it then Monaco will need four, while a Monaco goal would be game on.
CHANCE! Juventus should have that goal here! Higuain turns provider this time by sliding a pass through for Mandzukic, who finds himself with only the keeper to beat. He pokes his finish towards goal, but Subasic makes a big, big save to deny his Croatia teammate.
SHOT! Juventus are really starting to find their feet now and are looking a lot more dangerous coming forward. Alves leads the charge down the right flank this time before delivering a ball into the area which eventually ends up at the back post. Mandzukic is there to tower above his man and turn a header goalwards, but it is a difficult one and drops wide.
CHANCE! Another chance for the home side as Pjanic plays a simple one-two with Dybala to break into the box. Raggi is covering for Monaco, though, and makes a fine last-ditch block to keep the midfielder's effort out.
Monaco have been on the ropes for the last 10 minutes or so, with Juventus finding so much space almost every time they come forward. Still they just about cling on to their slender lifeline in this tie, though.
SAVE! Fine goalkeeping from Buffon to deny Falcao as the striker took the ball down and released a snapshot from inside the area. The flag is up, but the replays show that Falcao was onside and it may have been raised for the rebound as it fell towards a Monaco man.
GOAL! Juventus 1-0 Monaco (Mario Mandzukic)
Surely that is tie over now? Juventus finally make one of their chances pay to move 3-0 ahead on aggregate and break the deadlock on the night. It is Alves who is the creator again, as was the case in the first leg, with a pinpoint cross to pick out an unmarked Mandzukic at the back post. He sees his first header well saved by Subasic, but is on his toes to convert the rebound from close range.
That means that Monaco now need four goals to progress tonight, against a side that has conceded just two throughout this season's competition. Not going to happen I'm afraid.
DISALLOWED GOAL! Juventus have the ball in the back of the net again, although this one doesn't count as Higuain just strayed offside before rolling the ball past the keeper.
CHANCE! Juventus are creating chances at will at the moment. Mandzukic fires a brilliant pass forward from deep inside his own half, and suddenly Higuain finds himself with green grass to run into again. He gets a decent shot away too, but Subasic is down well to keep it out.
Here is that Juventus goal, which started all the way from the keeper as they hit Monaco on the break...
YELLOW CARD! Falcao picks up the first yellow card of the night after slipping into a challenge on Chiellini.
CLOSE! Stunning piece of defending from Chiellini - he must be the best in the world as a pure defender. Mendy fires a brilliant low ball across the face of goal which is begging to be put in, but Chiellini somehow manages to turn it past the post when it looked like any touch would result in an own goal. If he didn't get a touch to it then Falcao would have been left with a tap-in, so that was brilliantly done by the Italian.
Mbappe tries to catch Buffon out with a powerful snapshot from a tight angle, but it is optimistic from the youngster and sure enough he blazes it off target.
CHANCE! Big chance for Juve to grab a second as they win the ball high up the field and play it through for Dybala. The striker has space and time to pick his spot, but Subasic is quickly out to meet him and makes a big save.
GOAL! Juventus 2-0 Monaco (Dani Alves)
Are you watching Barcelona? Alves has three assists in this tie, and now he has his own name on the scoresheet - in some style too! A corner is only cleared out as far as the Brazilian, who meets it with a perfect first-time volley that slams into the back of the net. Subasic was out of position having punched the ball, but take nothing away from that strike from Alves.
HALF TIME: Juventus 2-0 Monaco (Juventus lead 4-0 on aggregate)
This one is all over. Juventus hold a 2-0 lead at the halfway stage of this match and a 4-0 lead on aggregate, meaning that Monaco now need five goals to progress. Against this Juventus defence that simply is not happening, and Leonardo Jardim may need to switch to damage limitation for the coming 45 minutes.
Monaco actually started the brighter of the two teams, but it didn't take long for Juventus to settle into the game and they broke the deadlock on the night shortly after the half-hour mark. It was a swift counter-attack from the hosts as they went all the way from the keeper to the right wing, where Alves delivered an inch-perfect cross to Mandzukic. The Croat's initial header was kept out by Subasic in the Monaco goal, but Mandzukic followed in to convert the rebound from close range.
That goal effectively killed the tie off as a contest, but if there was any Monaco hope remaining that it was well and truly extinguished on the stroke of half time. Alves may not get the official assist for tonight's first goal, but we'll give him it and he added a goal to his three set-ups for the tie with the pick of the bunch. Subasic could only punch a corner as far as the Brazilian full-back who met it first time with a stunning volley from 25 yards.
...and here is that Alves stunner for your perusal.
KICKOFF: Juventus get us back underway for the second half, with only 45 minutes separating them from the Champions League final.
For Monaco, Leonardo Jardim must surely be considering resting players in this second half. They have a big game this weekend which could see them win the Ligue 1 title, and Jardim will not want this game to impact on their domestic hopes.
Monaco have actually had more possession than Juventus in this match, but Juve have been so ruthless in both ties so far. This has been a steep learning curve for this young Monaco side.
YELLOW CARD! Mendy is the second name in the book for Monaco tonight.
JUVENTUS SUB: Juve make their second change of the evening as Dybala departs to be replaced by Juan Cuadrado.
MONACO SUB: Monaco respond with a change of their own as Fabinho replaces Mendy.
CHANCE! Almost an immediate impact from Cuadrado as he beats the offside trap to race through on goal down the right. He looks to see if he has support in the middle but then chooses to go for goal himself, only to take too long over it which allows Jemerson the chance to get back and make the block.
SHOT! Higuain looks to get in on the act with a curler towards the top corner, but he puts it comfortably high and wide of the target. There are more goals for Juve out there if they want them tonight, though.
It does seem to be a question of how many goals Juventus will win by now. They are in complete control of proceedings and Monaco are struggling to come up with anything dangerous in attack at the other end.
Juventus can begin to think of Cardiff now, if they weren't already. There will be plenty of Italian eyes on Madrid tomorrow night when they will discover their opponents for the final.
Almost a chance for Juventus to add a third on the night, and it will come as no surprise to you that Alves is the creator. He swings a cross into the middle which Mandzukic meets, but it comes off his shoulder and goes over. The referee initially awards a corner, but Mandzukic bizarrely tells him that he got the last touch and the official changes his mind to a goal kick. I don't think he would have done that at 0-0!
Not much to report in terms of chances in the past 10 minutes or so, with the game going into a bit of a lull. Both sides know that it is over as a contest, and both would probably be happy with the full-time whistle going now.
CHANCE! A rare sight of goal for Monaco as Mbappe races in down the left channel and tries to give Buffon the eyes with a shot towards the near post. Buffon has seen all of the tricks before, though, and makes a good save to turn it behind for a corner.
GOAL! Juventus 2-1 Monaco (Kylian Mbappe)
Juventus have conceded a goal! I repeat, Juventus have conceded a goal! Perhaps they have switched off a bit in the last couple of minutes, but again Monaco get in down the left here, with Moutinho cutting inside from the byline. He plays a low ball across the face of goal and Mbappe is there to turn it home from close range. Juventus's 690-minute shutout comes to and end - that is 11 and a half hours.
MONACO SUB: Monaco make a change in the immediate aftermath of that goal, with Thomas Lemar replacing Bernardo Silva.
Leonardo Jardim was going to withdraw Mbappe for Lemar just before he scored that goal, but he changed his mind at the last moment. Surely he doesn't think that Mbappe will help them score three more here?
The Juventus players and fans are unhappy here as Monaco don't kick the ball out with Higuain down on the floor and writhing in agony following a challenge from Glik.
YELLOW CARD! After a few skirmishes between the two players Bonucci goes into the book. There were two more serious incidents, though, as Glik appeared to stamp on Higuain while Mandzukic elbowed Fabinho after play was allowed to continue.
Higuain is finally back on his feet, but he is not at all happy. He needs to be careful when he comes back on - he looks like he could have revenge on the mind and any stupid action could see him banned for the final.
Well, this game looked like petering out around the hour mark, but we have since had a goal and a few feisty moments too. Monaco aren't going out without making their mark on Juventus.
MONACO SUB: Another change for the visitors sees Bakayoko depart and Valere Germain come on.
Higuain is still showing the referee the stud marks in his leg and seems to be eyeing up Glik too. He is furious with the defender over that stamp.
SHOT! Moutinho tries his luck from distance, and why not at this stage? He drives one towards goal from 25 yards, but it flies a long way over the crossbar.
Higuain does seem to have calmed down now, after instructions from the coaches who must have told him not to miss the final whatever he does.
JUVENTUS SUB: Third and final change for Juventus as Barzagli is replaced by Mehdi Benatia.
Free kick to Juventus in a dangerous position, and Pjanic is standing over it...
The wall does its job, though, and it deflects behind for a corner.
YELLOW CARD! Mandzukic picks up a yellow card for complaining about another incident involving Glik. He needs to keep his head too here.
There will be three minutes of added time at the end of this match.
FULL TIME: Juventus 2-1 Monaco (Juve win 4-1 on aggregate)
JUVENTUS REACH THE FINAL OF THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE!
Very, very impressive from Juventus. They continue their quest for the treble with a 4-1 aggregate victory over Monaco, winning tonight's second leg 2-1. In truth, this one was over as a contest from the moment
Mario Mandzukic gave his side the lead shortly after the half-hour mark, and certainly after Alves doubled that advantage with a stunning volley just before half time. Monaco did at least become the first team since November to breach this Juventus defence in the Champions League when Kylian Mbappe pulled a goal back, but there was never any danger of them getting back into the tie.
Right, that is all we have time for this evening! Thank you very much for joining
Sports Mole for tonight's match as Juventus ease into the final of the Champions League with a 2-1 win over Monaco, completing a comfortable 4-1 aggregate triumph. I will leave you with our
match report, and be sure to stick around for reaction too. We will also have live coverage of the second semi-final between the Madrid clubs tomorrow knight, so check back in with us for that! From me, though, it is goodbye for now!